Motorsport | Formula 1

Haug happy with Schumacher

Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug says that he is satisfied with Michael Schumacher being on the team, despite him failing to finish
on the podium.

The former world champion reigned supreme when he was driving Ferrari's dominant cars, but has become a middle-order driver since coming
out of retirement with Mercedes which lies a distant fourth in the constructors' championship.

"We are going to keep establishing our new Silver Arrows works team in Formula One," said Haug on Eurosport Deutschland.

"Our development and our learning will bring as upwards gradually, step by step, from the fourth power at the moment to third, second
and ultimately to position number one. This can be achieved only through years of hard and focused work. The current world champions (Red
Bull) took five years before their first success."

Despite Schumacher being routinely out-qualified and out-raced by his younger teammate Nico Rosberg, Haug insisted that Schumacher would
stay with the team.

"We are completely satisfied with them, as once we give our drivers a winning car, they will win with it," he said.

"Michael is a motivator through and through. He has a plan just as he had one at Ferrari, where he fought for five years for his first
(Ferrari) title. He has the same bite as ever and remains one of the very best drivers in the field."